Congratulations to all your communities that managed to get on the Register of Community Interests in Land (RCIL)
CB00087 - LAIRG AND DISTRICT COMMUNITY INITIATIVES – Declined
CB00088 - DURNESS DEVELOPMENT GROUP LIMITED – Registered
CB00089 - URRAS BHAILE NA CILLE – Registered
CB00090 - STRATHTAY COMMUNITY BODY – Registered
CB00091 - THE TWEEDSMUIR COMMUNITY COMPANY – Registered
CB00092 - FRIENDS OF MIDMAR INN COMMUNITY COMPANY – Registered
CB00093 - ISLE OF CUMBRAE INITIATVE COMMUNITY COMPANY – Declined
CB00094 - WALKERBURN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENTS TRUST – Registered
CB00095, 96, 97, 99 - KNOCKMAN COMMUNITY COMPANY – Declined, Registered, Registered, Registered
CB00098 - GRANTSHOUSE COMMUNITY COMPANY- Registered
The RCIL has only 99 applications for the community-right-to-buy (CRTB) for the first 5 years of legislation under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. This however is very misleading as to my reckoning there are only 36 discrete community applications that have managed to register, if all the multiple attempts, failures and serial registrations are figured. Even more appalling is the fact that only 6 discrete registrations have successfully achieved a CRTB, the last being over 2 years ago. At a rate of 1 community buyout a year, I wonder if anyone can regard this legislation in anyway as a success in enabling communities in Scotland.
The community of Uig, Lewis have forced to invoke the community-right-to-buy by the Church of Scotland Trustees. The trustees have been determined to sell the Baile na Cille Church, an important community asset, on the open market against the will of the local population. The community body, Urras Bhaile na Cille, have successfully registered on RCIL and are now pursuing an unnecessarily tight timescale to get community support and the necessary financial assistance. The Church of Scotland (as are all main denominations in Scotland) is a member of the Scottish Churches Housing Action (motto “No room for homelessness”). SCHA finds solutions for the twin problems of surplus unaffordable church property, and social housing needs. Here in the Western Isles I have never seen any surplus church property be sold as anything but holiday homes. The real shame is that almost without exception these church properties were built entirely by local efforts and local donations.
Earlier this year you were asked to help support, the Knoydart community with a film project that their primary school children (aged 5-9) produced Munchatreeaforest. Your efforts by voting online helped their deserved win. (For details see SCLN Munchatreeaforest). This united effort by many dispersed rural (and not so rural) communities helped a small isolated community gain access to a justly awarded win. This could not have been achieved had this community depended on its own small constituency. Is it time we joined our voices so that we can be heard? Many NGOs and other single-interest group’s agendas get a disproportionate hearing by the Scottish Government affecting allocation of finances, resources and legislation, often impacting our communities and our land. At last count over 400,000 hectares (probably now over 500,000h) of land was under community-ownership versus 330,000 hectares under combined NGO control (RSPB, NTS, SWT, JMT, etc.). Should ours not be the loudest voice?
Congratulations to the North Harris Trust who earlier this year succeeded in securing support of £900,000 from the Big Lottery Fund‘s Growing Community Assets for their community-scaled wind farm project on North Harris. The project has plans for three turbines which could generate an annual income of up to £150,000. The funds raised would be put towards social housing, further renewable energy projects, existing home energy conservation, and other projects and job creation. Calum Mackay, North Harris Trust chairman, welcomed the lottery grant. He said: "This development will bring considerable benefit to the entire North Harris community in the years ahead."
The Scottish Government cancelled a public inquiry into the North Harris scheme last September. Plans for the site had been delayed for a year after Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) lodged its objection. After lobbying SNH, they dropped their complaint that the turbine would have an impact on the NSA. The grants follow comments by Lorne MacLeod, chairman of Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company, that communities were frustrated by how long it took to deal with applications for small-scale projects. He argued they were worthwhile and that single and small-scale schemes should be fast-tracked through the planning process.
The North Harris Trust has initiated a grass roots campaign for the community to consider the possible costs/benefits of an Isle of Harris National Park. A series of public meetings were enthusiastically attended throughout the separate communities of Harris. After vigorous debate at the public meetings, the steering group were given a mandate to proceed with the investigation of National Park status. Additionally each area was asked to choose representation to form a steering group to guide this process. Consultants have been contracted to give a cost/benefit analysis for presentation to the community. The steering group have been engaging National Parks, the Scottish Government, Mike Russell and local authority on the National Park status.
Scotland has only 2 national parks, Loch Lomond and Trossachs NP and Cairngorms NP. These were both created after the Scottish Parliament passed the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000. Scotland was some 60 years behind England and Wales that has had National Park legislation since 1949. Significantly for Scotland it appears to have been worth the wait because this legislation does not primarily see its purpose as a natural heritage preservation vehicle but covers the full support of vigorous rural communities sustainably managing the environmental and cultural heritage. This is achieved through the legislation’s equally-weighted primary aims:
- To conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area
- To promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area
- To promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public
- To promote sustainable economic and social development of the area's communities
Like the national parks of England and Wales, neither of the Scottish parks is wilderness areas owned by the government. The majority of the land is in private ownership; more importantly, much of the land has been worked by humans for thousands of years, in places quite extensively. Like many areas of the Scottish Highlands, historical deforestation, overgrazing by sheep and deer, and extensive 20th century afforestation with non-native tree species (particularly conifers) have resulted in landscapes which are semi-natural. Like their English and Welsh counterparts, then, the parks in Scotland are effectively "managed landscapes".
The general purpose of the National Park Authority, as defined in the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, is to ensure that these aims are "collectively achieved ...in a coordinated way". Although the four aims have equal status, in accordance with the Sandford Principle, the first aim (conservation and enhancement of the natural and cultural heritage) is to be given greater weight if aims are irreconcilable.
The Final report of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting is now available. Professor Mark Shucksmith and the committee brought together over 2500 responses received over the course of the year to form a holistic and far reaching vision to reinvigorate all that is good about crofting by concentrating on the fundamentals, living on and working the croft.
The West Side of Harris community buyout has recently had verification from the Scottish Government Environment minister, Mike Russell, that the Scottish Government would be a willing seller of the SEERAD owned estate of 4 villages and 6,000 Hectares. The selling price will reflect the crofting tenure value of the estate. Even so I have difficulty in understanding why a compulsory purchased estate done with taxpayers’ money some 80 years ago should have to be sold onto to a representative community body. Why can it not be gifted (or nominally purchased by) to a genuine community body. Why should we be paying for it twice?
The Benbecula Sport & Leisure community owned company recently successful RCIL registration may have hit a snag with the MOD asking price of £60,000. Interestingly a little-known piece of legislation, the Crichel Downs legislation, simply requires that the land previously acquired under compulsory purchase be offered back to former owners or their successors. Again what is this government’s fascination with trying to screw every last penny from genuine community enterprise. Where is all this talked about empowerment when a government body having previously bought land with our taxpayer’s money feels that they must charge a community for it a second time.
The Kinghorn Community Land Association (KCLA) recently awarded £9,610 by Fife Council to undertake a feasibility study. KCLA intends to negotiate to take over the management of the bowl of land which surrounds Kinghorn Loch. KCLA has already successfully registered the Community-right-to-buy on RCIL for 19 plots of land surrounding the loch. If negotiations lead an offer, the community would then get the ultimate deciding vote on the transfer.
The organisation was formed by 140 concerned local people in March 2004 when the acclaimed Craigencalt Ecology Centre, based at Kinghorn Loch was threatened with eviction. A steering group formed to “explore the application of the powers of the community right to buy in the new Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 in helping achieve their aspirations for Kinghorn Loch and its surrounds”.
And finally congratulations Angus Hardie, Director of Development Trusts Association Scotland (DTAS), who is leaving to lead the Local People Leading campaign.
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The Aline Community Woodland, Lewis, has had a setback stemming from a cash flow funding crisis. The four fulltime staff members have all been laid off. It is understood that delays in their awards have proven a temporary measure. An extensive and ambitious 10 year plan has been laid out on their website
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The Scottish Government has launched the Climate Challenge Fund. The Fund aims to help Scottish communities to significantly reduce their carbon emissions by designing and implementing their own solutions. A total of £18.8m is available over the next three years
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The Scottish Government has launched a £30 million Scottish Investment Fund to provide support to enterprising Third Sector organisations.
BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration 2008
Is your project making a real difference in your local community?
Do you feel it raised community spirit in your area and helped improve the quality of life of local people?
If you are proud of your achievements, make sure you enter the BURA Awards for Community Inspired Regeneration.
Sponsored by Communities and Local Government for a third year running, these awards celebrate best practice in community inspired and led regeneration in urban and rural areas across the United Kingdom. Projects recognised in the past range from community-based arts or planning initiatives to physical regeneration schemes such as multi-use community centres as well as projects addressing poor quality of housing or acute social and health inequality.
The experience of our previous winners shows that winning awards is one of the most powerful and cost effective marketing tools. Free and simple to enter, the time you spend submitting an entry could gain you recognition as a leader in regeneration and community development, boost staff / volunteer morale and help win future funding or work contracts.
We must advise you straight away that these awards do not provide direct funding however, whilst this is true, the awards are well-recognised and winning an award could be just what your scheme or project needs to demonstrate the difference it is making and boost its reputation.
There are many reasons why you should consider entering these awards:
1. Gain recognition as leaders in community regeneration
2. Raise your organisation’s reputation and profile across the UK
3. Motivate and sustain further improvements and innovation
4. Improve community awareness of the important work you're doing
5. Boost employee or volunteer morale, enhance recruitment and retention
6. Develop your own CV and professional standing
7. Impress and influence partners
8. Win funding bids or work contracts
9. Access opportunities to learn from others and receive feedback from our expert panel of judges
10. Meet other recognised projects and key regeneration practitioners and celebrate your successes at a prestigious ceremony
The Awards are free to enter and anyone involved with a grass-roots regeneration scheme can submit an entry.
Visit www.bura.org.uk/awards to:
· find out more information about the assessment process, categories and criteria
· read more about projects recognised in previous years
· download the guidance notes for entrants and the entry form
· submit your entry online
You have until 15th October 2008 to submit your entries online.
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Congratulations to two island communities that have won through to the second-stage shortlist of the Big Green Challenge. The Barra & Vatersay community have formed SEEM (Save the Environment, Energy and Money) and the Isle of Eigg’s renewable energy project Eigg Electric. Shortly it will be decided if they get to the final 10 who will receive £20,000 to pilot their projects over the next year to compete for £1Million prize.
Five community-owned energy companies, Galson Energy, North Harris Trading Company, Horshader Community Development, Tolsta Community Development, and Point & Sandwick Power have joined to form the Outer Hebrides Energy Co-operative. Calum Macdonald, Secretary of Eco-Heb said “ community ownership is the best way of ensuring local benefit from renewable energy development… community owned members are committed to re-investing 100% of their net income into the economic, social and cultural development of their respective local communities. It is hoped that the combined group will lend additional weight to negotiations with turbine suppliers, grid operators and infrastructure providers. Eco-Heb recently commissioned a feasibility study of potential hydro projects. The community groups were brought together by Highlands and Islands Energy Company (HICEC) producing the report Communities leading a quiet revolution.
Download the latest HICEC Annual Review & Newsletter
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Institute of Fundraising Scottish Conference 2008
Tuesday 4th - Wednesday 5th November
Hilton Glasgow, 1 William Street, Glasgow
Community Woodlands Annual Seminar and Conference 2008
7th – 9th November, Rothes Halls, in Glenrothes, Fife
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Land Reform Act Training Seminar
23rd September, Grantown-on-Spey.
Places are free for members of DTAS, Cairngorms National Park, CRNS, CWA & CADISPA. To download a flier click here for a booking form, click here.
Asset Based Development Training Seminar
27th September, Lerwick, Shetland.
Places are free for members of DTAS and other community based organisations. To download a flier click here or to make a booking contact Wendy Hand on 01595 743905 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Community woodfuel supply: Essentials of running a social enterprise
25th and 26th Sept. Abriachan Village Hall, Inverness
Contact Jake Willis 01967 400030 to book and for further details
Social Enterprise Academy runs a series of programmes and modules strive to challenge, develop, and motivate you to create understanding and change in your organisations and communities. Focusing on the three interacting needs of any social business our courses are designed around the learner, the enterprise, and the community. We build on your knowledge, your beliefs and values through tutor and peer-led learning.
Through all of our programmes and modules you learn to analyse your issues, your understanding and your perspective of them, and to challenge your assumptions in a supportive environment. Contact them now if you are...
· About to create a social enterprise
· A community or voluntary group with funding challenges
· A charity with an idea for income generation
· A community council and want to learn more
· Responsible for modernising public services
· Tasked with creating sustainable communities
· A consultant in economic regeneration
· A support agency
· An established social enterprise looking to grow/develop
Take the time to read through their currently available programmes or sign up for their monthly newsletter
Develop your Community Skills
CLU runs a skills development programme to help community groups’ access training to help them manage their assets more efficiently and effectively. Training could be in practical, managerial or other skills suited to your group's needs.
The programme runs on two levels:
- They can assist groups to attend relevant training courses and events
- They encourage groups to host training events for community land initiatives
Assistance is discretionary and subject to available budgets. All training must be relevant to managing community assets and is subject to approval by aftercare officers.
If you have identified a training need for your group please contact the CLU aftercare team.
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The recent history of Community Land Initiatives (CLI) has seen the sector grow from strength to strength since its first tenuous steps with the Assynt Crofters in 1992. Every new community enfranchised presents a new facet of the untapped potential of communities. This is not a force that can be proscribed or pigeon-holed but presents in a self-defining manner, the community identifying its own boundaries, both geographical and of interest and aspiration. Still there is as much to be done to enable those un-emancipated communities and strengthen those already empowered. Just listen to the common frustrations being repeated from individual to individual working in and with communities. Here are a few suggestions, to further the support of CLI sector. It’s not just my personal opinion but supported by “The Way Forward – for the Community Land Sector” a community-led workshop report from CLU’s Skills Development Programme.
- Support existing CLIs
- Some form of extended network/networking – this need not necessarily be a new organisation but growing some already existing agencies. The CLU did this very well in the past especially through the excellent training program, the Skills Development Programme
- Recognising that running a broad-based community enterprise will need long term revenue support, not just project-based funding sources. GCA was regarded by communities as overly cumbersome and bureaucratic with unrealistic outcomes.
- Sending a clear message to all Scottish Governments departments, NDPBs, NGOs, Politicians, Civil Servants, and Funders that CLIs want better quality engagement, support, partnership and ultimately mutual respect. They want clear and holistic policies delivered by enthusiastic and community savvy staff.
- A clear repository of accumulated knowledge, best practice and standard documents etc so each community is not reinventing the wheel unnecessarily. Funded primary researches for areas identified by the CLI sector e.g. identify the size, number and interests of the CLI sector.
- Support new CLIs.
- A clear funding stream for start-ups that isn’t project-based or solely requiring economic outcomes remembering that most CLIs are working with a triple bottom line. In many minds the Scottish Land Fund cannot be bettered, it did exactly what it said on the tin. GCA has been an unmitigated disaster with constantly changing goalposts and requiring unachievable or invented outcomes; swallowing up the our stretched human resources of both our development officers and trying the patience of our community volunteers neither who really could not stomach yet another 100+ page feasibility study/business plan/outcomes. We don’t want GCA Mark II just Scottish Land Fund again!
- Give us back the CLU. Longer-established CLIs felt that the CLU was lost to GCA. Return us the passionate and knowledgeable staff working in the field with intimate knowledge of the communities they support.
- Review and amend The Land Reform Act.
- Have a full and independent review of the effectiveness of the Land Reform Act with a mind to amending it.
- Remove the ministerial discretion. Why do we legislate if ultimately the regulation lies with the discretion of our Ministers/civil servants?
- Simplify the whole procedure. Make this a transparent process delivering the tangible benefits envisaged.
- Extend this legislation to all communities urban or rural.
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Current circulation –over 1850
Many thanks to all the contributors over the years.
This newsletter has been generously funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Lomond & Rural Stirling Leader+ and North Highland Leader+
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The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are for general information and do not represent those of the Community Land Unit, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Lomond & Rural Stirling Leader+ or North Highland Leader+
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